It was the first time being guided through a breathing exercise. Sitting still, no panic, no ‘holding’ my breath, not needing to breath for 2 minutes and 55 seconds… Just a feeling of ease and abundance as I watch the minutes pass.
Another time, a different breathing exercise, my heart beat and breath slip into a resonant synchronisation, sending spiral oscillations up and down my body. I’m not consciously ‘making’ this happen, but i’m with it. Experiencing a new way of being in my body.
That was a decade ago. Just two of the many unexpected, ‘beyond ordinary’ experiences, I have enjoyed while exploring the potential of combining subtle movement and directed breath.
It isn’t just emerging physical phenomena that goes beyond the ordinary, it also permits us to break through barriers of perception with a corresponding shift in conscious thought.
The ‘shoulds’ and limiting stories dissolve, washed out of us in a cleansing respiratory sigh. Replaced by a new level of awareness, expanding the space in which we can be.
These and more discoveries are available to us when we turn our attention deep into the physiological processes that form the foundation of our life.
Breathing is pretty important, it keeps you alive, but how often do you really think about it? Consider dolphins. They can never stop thinking about their breathing. Always having to consciously ensure their blowhole is above the water before they can take a breath.
What happens when they sleep, you should be wondering… Well, they have this trick where they only shut off half their brain when they sleep. Their brain halves actually take turns at staying awake to make sure they can breathe.
As land mammals, most of our daily breathing occurs automatically, so we take it for granted. It’s a shame really, because with a little understanding and practice you can literally ‘breathe life’ back into your… well… you can ‘breathe life’ back into your life.
Although simple on the surface, the ability to breathe without thinking about it is a fairly complex cycle, requiring careful communication and controlled interaction between many sub-systems in your body.
Various areas in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system communicate with the respiratory tract and the musculoskeletal structure, to control the physical movement required to take a breath.
Chemoreceptors buried in our larger arteries and brain stem feed back levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide. While pressure, tension and pain levels all provide information to influence the unconscious process of involuntary breathing. This all occurs relative to the current demands being put upon your body.
Conscious breathing also uses some of these same pathways, but it’s controlled from a totally different place up in the higher brain centres of the cortex. This higher level control of breath allows you to play the trumpet, or breathe when your nose and mouth are above the water (like our friend the dolphin). We can also control our breath to suit stressors or emotional stimuli, even direct our breath into specific areas along our thorax.
The fact that breathing can occur both unconsciously and consciously means that breath can be seen as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious areas of the brain. Especially when we focus our attention into the body, directing our breath and combining it with specific movements.
This is not a new realisation. The power and mystery of our breath has been revered in ancient wisdoms for thousands of years.
A recent study shows that breathing at certain paces or paying careful attention to where and how we breathe engages different parts of the brain, leading to changes in brain synchronisation and function. Directed breathing techniques may reduce pain, increase mobility, clear metabolic waste, boost energy, open posture, lengthen life, improve memory, modulate emotions and help initiate the relaxation response… just to name a few benefits.
This is why we incorporate progressions of these specific breathing exercises into the Neurostructural Optimisation care plans we create for our patients. We call these specific exercises Enteroceptive Rehabilitation.
Each stage of Interoceptive Rehabiltation has a particular application. Within each stage there are specific modifications to personalise the exercise to suit each individuals needs and goals.
Regular Enteroceptive Workshops
In addition to including breathing exercises in our personalised Neurostructural care plans, we also hold regular workshops for patients. These are complimentary for existing patients. We also strongly encourage patients to invite friends or family who might benefit from this work.
These workshops are held at our practice in Mona Vale, providing an opportunity to further develop and refine your breath practice in a relaxed, but motivating, group workshop atmosphere. Workshops conclude with a free Q&A session and light supper.
The dates for these workshops are announced via email and social media. Numbers are strictly limited, to ensure personalised attention, so bookings are essential. Connect with our Instagram and facebook pages to ensure you don’t miss out.
With Love,
Andrew.